ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 57233
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| Date: | Thursday 13 December 1984 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Grumman EA-6B Prowler |
| Owner/operator: | VAQ-129 US Navy |
| Registration: | 161777 |
| MSN: | P-100 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Discovery Bay, Puget Sound, 10 miles east of Sequim, Washington -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | NAS Whidbey Island, Washington (NUW/KNUW) |
| NAS Whidbey Island (NUW/KNUW) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
EA-6B Prowler BuNo. 161777/'NJ 902' of VAQ‑129, based at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. Crashed and destroyed December 13, 1984, due to engine failure and in‑flight fire shortly after take‑off. Crashed in a heavily wooded area at Discovery Bay, Puget Sound, 10 miles East of Sequim, Washington
Three of the crew members picked up by helicopter from Discovery Bay 29 Miles South West of Whidbey Island, Washington, USA. The four crew were: Lt James Dale "JC" Coulson, Lt Commander Steve B. Westover, Commander Roy Christian, and Lt Steve Clinko. One was rescued from land. According to the following eyewitness testimony from one of the crew, Lt James Dale "JC" Coulson:
"Interesting to note, all three of the others were picked up by the helo after landing on land. (A/C was rolling violently) I ejected upside down and was actually quite a bit lower than the other three. I landed about 25 feet from shore in the water, was dragged by my chute a bit in the high winds, and ultimately floundered my way ashore.
When the Navy rescue helo showed up, I refused to be taken up on the "hook", since I'd lost my helmet, otherwise all four would have been rescued by helicopter. Two fishermen drove me up to the nearby Diamond Point private airport landing strip where we met the helo. All were checked by an ambulance crew before being taken back to NAS Whidbey Island."
According to the following contemporary press report:
"4 Escape Crash of Navy Jet
Published: December 14, 1984
Four Navy officers parachuted to safety moments before their jet exploded and crashed today in a heavily wooded area along the coast of Puget Sound. A helicopter team rescued three of the crew members from Discovery Bay, and the other was picked up from land. One man who saw the crash said it appeared the EA-6B Prowler jet, an electronic jamming aircraft, ''broke up into 27,000 pieces, give or take a few.'
Sources:
1. http://web.archive.org/web/20171103001143/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/a6_prowler.htm
2. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries21.html
3. http://nigelrsadler.webspace.virginmedia.com/ea6production.htm
4. http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?36634-Jet-Noise&p=414895&viewfull=1#post414895
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Jan-2009 11:55 | ASN archive | Added |
| 03-Apr-2016 17:16 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Apr-2016 17:23 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Apr-2016 17:25 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 12-Jun-2021 10:20 | Anon. | Updated [Total occupants] |
| 07-Jul-2023 20:13 | Nepa | Updated [[Total occupants]] |
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